Long Island Residents Should Urge Spitzer To Say No To Broadwater Barge

January 11, 2007

While the proposed plan by Broadwater Energy LLC to construct a floating liquefied natural gas terminal may provide us some heat, it would also be placed in our beautiful Long Island Sound, causing significant environmental impacts on the water, aquatic life and inevitably, local residents.

According to the proposed project, a Floating Storage and Regasification Unit (FSRU) would be placed 9 miles from the Long Island shoreline and would store approximately 8 billion cubic feet of Liquefied Natural Gas.

There would be a number of significant environmental impacts on the Sound during the construction phase including: possible construction vessel collisions, seafloor disturbance from digging a new pipeline, increased vessel traffic, air emissions, possible fuel spills, and noise pollution stemming from pile driving.

In addition, operation of the barge will result in negative impacts on fish and other aquatic animals, possible spills during transfer from carrier ships to the unit, and the release of harmful chemicals such as biocides (similar to pesticides) will likely be discharged into the water. Trawling for fish and setting lobster pots around the unit would also be prohibited.

The Long Island Sound provides a home for diverse plant and animal life, and contributes an estimated $5.5 billion per year to the regional economy from boating, fishing, swimming, and sight-seeing. It is one of our most beloved estuaries, and we cannot let it be damaged by this project.

I strongly urge Suffolk County folks to write or call the governor and voice your opposition to this dangerous project. Along with endangering aquatic animals and Long Islandís established fishing industry, we cannot risk possible contamination, or even worse a possible explosion.

We must look at other options such as alternative energy sources and gas conservation before moving forward with a potentially hazardous project. I sincerely hope Governor Spitzer opposes the project. A terminal that contaminates the environment is not what we want in our beloved Long Island Sound.